Luke 12:59 Meaning and Explanation
“I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →You will not leave, He says, until you have paid the very last mite.
What Does Luke 12:59 Mean?
The parable ends inside the prison: no release until the last mite is paid — the smallest copper coin in circulation, the same coin a poor widow would later drop into the treasury (Luke 21:2). Judgment, once rendered, is exact; the court collects to the final fraction, and the imprisoned debtor has nothing left to pay with.
The severity of the picture measures the mercy still on offer along the road before it. Jesus describes the prison not to satisfy curiosity but to abolish delay: settle now, while grace stands ready and the cost of repentance is so small beside the reckoning. The debt of sin, left for the court, is beyond the debtor — which is why the Gospel is glad news: Christ Himself forgives what we could never pay.
Luke 12:59 in the Original Language
lepton (λεπτόν), 'mite' -- the smallest copper coin in use.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 12:59
What does Luke 12:59 mean?
You will not leave, He says, until you have paid the very last mite.